


down to the crossroads

by lxdystardust



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, One-sided Aang/Katara (Avatar), Parallel Universes, Post-Canon, it's not very favorable of Aang honestly, just as a warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:54:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lxdystardust/pseuds/lxdystardust
Summary: Katara is 25.She smiles, feeling cold, and the pain she feels is covered.***There are two paths Katara's life is destined toward.  One is what she always dreamed of, one is what she never dared to dream of.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 171





	down to the crossroads

**Author's Note:**

> I have hours of Ochem homework to cram, and 3 days of Taang Week to catch up on, but this for some reason wormed its way into my mind when I first woke up, and would. not. leave.
> 
> disclaimer: I really do like Aang a whole lot, but I don't think there's any way that Kataang ends fairly for Katara without stifling most of her personality and desires.

Katara is 25. 

She stands in the kitchen, parka bundled around her, baby on her hip, stirring a pot in silence. Her older children play jovially in front of the house, laughing. The home is a long upgrade from the igloo in which she grew up, but she is still surrounded by snow.

The baby coos and she smiles at him, nuzzles a kiss onto his head and notes how he smells of the ocean. 

By the time Aang arrives, the stew is finished, sitting in steaming bowls on the table as their children rush to greet him. She waits for him to cross the room to her, returns his hug, lets him kiss her, smiles at him. She listens with her children as he regales them with his latest adventures. There is a sour stone sinking in her stomach, bleeding green, and she quietly takes her bowl to the sink, all but untouched. 

She is the wife of the Avatar, and she is proud. She has the most comfortable life of any woman in the world.

(but she is far from comfortable)

She takes care of her children, loves them with all she has. She heals the sick and injured, and her fingers tingle with longing for _more_. She teaches new waterbenders, and her soul cries with hope that they will not stay in the South forever. 

He keeps her on a pedestal and she feels delicate, untouchable in the air. They almost never fight, and she should be glad but something feels lost inside of her.

At night, he undresses her delicately, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, and she lets him. She mimics his actions, says the lines right, and when they are

(he is)

finished, she lays on her side with his arms around her and tells herself she is happy.

They join Sokka the next day. He is chief of their Tribe, and her heart swells for him. They all hug, she smiles as her brother and husband laugh and talk. She wishes that she had anything to add besides commentary. 

She watches Suki approach Sokka, sees the unbridled love and affection across her face, and finds herself dreaming of being a Kyoshi Warrior. Suki comes and goes, but there is never anything but pure joy in her face when she returns to her warrior chief husband. Katara's blood runs green when she sees them and she pretends not to feel it.

Her brother does not mention how hollow her eyes look, and she is grateful. 

When he cries at night, she strokes his back and reasons with him, her voice resigned. When she cries at night, he is not around. He does not think she hurts, not the way _he_ does, and she does not tell him.

Sometimes, she gets letters from her friends. She reads them alone, at night, and tears dot the pages. She does not write back. 

He tells her he wants to go away with her. Her heart soars and she packs their bags, arranges for their children to be watched. She smiles and means it, kisses him and means it. She wonders where they will go—will she finally see her friends, be able to hear their voices outside of her memories? Will he take her somewhere new, let her experience something new for the first time in Tui and La knows how long?

She sees the Air Temple ahead, and knows they are here to see his Acolytes. His accomplishments.

(and his alone)

She smiles, feeling cold, and the pain she feels is covered.

***

Katara is 25. 

She sits at the table, listening to the committee bicker over the details of the new housing project. She wears a crown in her hair, a robe over her dress, her clavicle exposed by the low cut, and this is _her_ committee. She is far from the snow and tiny houses of ice, but she is home.

They dissolve and she walks across the palace, past the guest wing, to the royal hall. She enters the room, picks up the baby out of the bassinet, and takes in the way her head smells like fire lilies. 

She does not know Zuko is there until his arms slink around her waist, and she sinks into him. He holds them quietly, gingerly, and tells her that they are everything to him. They sit in the dining room, he duels her for the chance to recall his day first, and she loves it. She has something to say, she always does.

She is the Fire Lady, and he is proud. Her life is a battle—for acceptance as a waterbender, for respect as an outspoken woman.

(but she is so comfortable)

They have servants, but he sends them away and takes care of their daughter. She watches and loves them both with all she has. He lets—no, begs her to be involved with his rule. She smiles and knows that she had never needed the invitation. She opens schools, fights for the poor and hungry, and her soul is satisfied. She spars with him in the courtyard, and sometimes she wins. 

He keeps her on the throne next to him and she feels strong, powerful on the ground. They fight often, voices raised and feet stomping, and she is glad that he _hears_ her.

At night, they undress each other roughly, he growls an alternation of commands and praise, and she obeys. Her skin tingles with longing for _more_. She writes her own lines, and when they are finished, they cling to each other and she is happy.

Sokka visits the next day. He is chief of their Tribe, and her heart swells for him. They all hug, she laughs and talks in tune with her brother and husband. He is impressed with her stories as she is with his.

She watches Suki step off the next ship towards Sokka, sees the unbridled love and affection across her face, and feels glad that she is not a Kyoshi Warrior. Suki comes and goes, cannot stay with her warrior chief husband for long, and she confesses to Katara her jealousy that she is not often separated from Zuko. Her cheeks warm with embarrassed gratification and she hugs Suki.

Her brother mentions that she is glowing, and she laughs.

When he cries at night, she washes his hair and comforts him, her voice understanding. When she cries at night, he is there to catch her. He knows she hurts in the same way he does, and she clings to him.

Sometimes, she gets letters from her friends. She reads them to him and drops of wine dot the pages when he laughs. They pen a joint response.

He tells her he wants to go away with her. Her heart soars and she finds their bags already packed, their daughter already accounted for. She smiles and means it, kisses him and means it. She wonders where they will go--will she finally see him take a break, be able to hear his laugh outside of their quarters? Will he take her somewhere deep in the country, let her add a new place in need to her list that is Agni knows how long?

She sees Ember Island ahead, and knows they have left behind Fire Lord Zuko. She gets to see the Zuko that is _hers_.

(and hers alone)

She smiles, feeling warm, and the love she feels spills out.

**Author's Note:**

> okay I'm sorry for the "he is" line it's kind of funny but also kind of serious


End file.
